Paride Hall

The entrance hall is decorated, at the centre of the vault, with the Judgement by Paride. The lateral octagons depict Hercules defeating the Hydra, Diana and Endymion, Perseus and Andromeda and Priam and Thisbe.

The frescoes celebrate the marriage between Diomede della Corgna and Porzia Colonna. Four coats of arms in the corners allude to the social ascendancy of the Della Corgna family and to the relative relationship with the Colonna family: in fact, on the left is the coat of arms of Fulvio della Corgna, framed with that of the Ciocchi del Monte, family of Pope Julius III, and that of Diomede della Corgna; on the right is the Corgna Symbol framed with that of the Colonna, on a blue field, in memory of the prestigious wedding, and the Colonna arms.

Also on a blue field, the latter indicates the Zagarolo branch from which Portia came: probably, this coat of arms refers to Marco Antonio Colonna, cardinal uncle of the bride and friend of Fulvio. Diomede therefore wanted to exhibit his prestige titles with the intention of pleasing his wife’s family.